​Caring Hearts Support Group (CHSG) Turned 5 As One Big Family

Celebrating another year of health

PULSE Issue 41 | July 2023

As a voluntary initiative by NUHCS patients, the Caring Hearts Support Group (CHSG) was launched in 2018 with the vision to build an inspiring and caring heart patient support group that brings positive changes to the lives of patients and the community. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the mission of CHSG became more meaningful and purposeful as the group was determined to connect with fellow heart patients to support them in their recovery journey during a difficult time.

“Looking back now, there is a sense of gratefulness and contentment that we managed to emerge through challenging times,” reflected Ms Magdalene Chia, Programme Coordinator, CHSG. 

Over the past five years, CHSG has been active in engaging members by forging and fostering bonds of friendship and showing support not only to heart patients, but to their families and friends as well. This engagement is especially critical for CHSG members as many need to sustain lifestyle changes to avoid a relapse. 

CHSG provides the opportunity for patients to share personal experiences and feelings, as well as coping strategies, which act as a bridge to fill a gap between medical treatment and emotional support. In addition to the invaluable peer support CHSG provides, the group frequently organises educational talks with NUHCS heart health experts so members have regular access to insightful heart-related information and tips to assist them on their journey towards better health.

Once admitted as individual heart patients, CHSG members of varying age groups turned up in their ethnic clothes to showcase their heritage as one big CHSG family celebrating their fifth anniversary and the fulfilling journey they have been on together.